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A.J. Smith has lost it

04-22-2010, 09:01 PM

I think it's official, now. Three straight years that players were either taken too high or given too much in order to draft them. This team just no longer is deep enough to treat the draft in this manner. The dline still sucks, and the lbs and safeties no longer suit the current defensive philosophy. I like Matthews, but he is a luxury in this offense, imo. The oline doesn't run block well, and he'll get, what 15 carries a game? In the current offense, I don't see much of a dropoff from Mathews to Hardesty, Gerhart, or a few others. But my biggest concern is that it is obvious that Smith is falling in love with certain players and reaching like Al Davis to get them, losing the overall picture... Hester, Davis, English, now here we go again. I should learn not to look forward to this day every year. I'm just pissed. A.J. has to go, I'm afraid.

I think you're overreacting, Hester was a huge reach I'll agree on that. Now Buster he never really had a chance to play, and English is a monster I don't see how you're upset about that pick. I actually like Mathews, swapping 1st, a 2nd, and swapping a 4th imo isn't too bad. It was for sure we really needed a runningback, I really thought we were going with Earl or Dan with the trade up. But I'm not going to complain Mathews is a great runningback.

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I really really dislike this trend of trading up for A.J.'s 'favorites'. I like Matthews just fine, but who is going to block for him? This basically cancels out the Whitehurst deal.

I would much rather have held on to #28 and #40. AJ needed to find a way to fill at least 2 of the 3 holes at RB/OL/DL. Trading up for Matthews only fills one. Why does he (AJ) hate 2nd round picks? VJ was 2nd rounder. McNeill was a 2nd rounder. A.J. has forgotten how valuable those picks can be.

aka KGB Chicken

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I think that Seattle would have taken Mathews at #14, as Spiller was gone. It was a reach, but i don't think we could have gotten him at any other place in the draft. Miami were looking to trade down, and I don't think Denver would have made the deal with us. Then comes the Seahawks (very likely to grab Mathews), Giants and Titans who got value at need positions, then 49ers, Steelers and Falcons before the Texans, and neither would have made the trade with us.

I have complete trust in our scouts to make the right decision about the different players at the different positions. If they think Mathews is the only back with the ability to be the nr. 1 back, then I think they have to make this pick. An average pick, not great, not bad, we still have all our draft picks except that 2nd rounder, and if I do remember correctly mr. Smith drafted two rookie starters last year in the later rounds.

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Now I've had a day and several Guinnesses (yum) to mull it over and I still stand by my original, perhaps, overreacting statement.

1. I really like Mathews. It would be too easy to say something like "he's the next Knowshon Moreno", but I don't believe that. I think he will be much better. I admit that much.
2. I suspected, but now see clearly that Rivera has no intention of strengthening the 3-4. It's quite obvious to me now that he has a severe aversion to that scheme and is moving to the 4-3 in a pretty big way. (now that is another topic and I'm pretty pissed about that too) And, if you want to go 4-3, btw, why not revamp the dline and lbs (and safeties if cover 2)? There were several 4-3 front seven types availible in this year's second round. And Earl Thomas of course with the trade up.
3. Can this team run successfully at all? LT was a nonfactor the past two years and Sproles declined as well. Since Schotty left the offense has become more and more finesse and I believe that RB quality doesn't quite matter as much anymore. This team is built to pass and the OL are schemed accordingly, imo. So, do I think a great RB will make a difference over an average one? Not really. Maybe an OL upgrade would change that, but that is again another beef -- I wanted Oher last year, hence my problem with the English pick. Now, wouldn't we look a bit better with Oher and Kindle and maybe Gerhart or Hardesty instead of English and Mathews? Maybe, I can't say for sure.
4. A.J. Smith is definately reaching. I don't think I even need to further address this. It appears he is getting tunnel vision rather than going best player availible. Cason is the only recent early pick I can think of that has been taken at the spot he was projected at, and I wanted Kenny Phillips there, btw.

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Just a thought, though, I saw an article that said running backs drafted in the first round provided a more positive change in the running game than tackles drafted in the first round. I'll post a link here if I find it...

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I don't see how you can argue this draft. We came into it looking for a starting RB, speed at safety, a QB to groom, a backup TE, a nose tackle and upgrades on defense. We got everything we asked for, except maybe an upgrade at OT. Butler will provide serious competition for Burnett and Siler as a rookie, and to get Cam Thomas in the 5th? Wow...

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I don't see how you can argue this draft. We came into it looking for a starting RB, speed at safety, a QB to groom, a backup TE, a nose tackle and upgrades on defense. We got everything we asked for, except maybe an upgrade at OT. Butler will provide serious competition for Burnett and Siler as a rookie, and to get Cam Thomas in the 5th? Wow...

+1. Getting Cam Thomas for the D-line rotation in the 5th makes the naysayers look a little silly. If you had told me we drafted him at 40 I would have been psyched.

Butler is a sexy beast and could start this year. Stuckey has a better than even shot at unseating Ellison too. Obviously not much more needs to be added about Mathews. Terrific draft.

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Yeah, Nic Richmond in particular looks like a guy that could challenge Clary at RT.

I knew after Mathews was drafted, this was going to be a good class because AJ does his best work Round 3 and beyond.

Butler, Stuckey and Cam are all potential starters...giving us 4 not counting Richmond.

This may go down as one of AJ's better efforts. Trading Whitehurst got us Mathews (I really think Seattle would have picked him). Then he traded lower pick ammo to get Butler and Cam Thomas. The Stuckey pick was Miami's 4th instead of ours, we likely couldn't have gotten him without it.

I couldn't be happier, but we won't know for two years probably how good this will stack up compared to AJ's previous efforts.